PRESSING UAE ON AID FOR PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000371 DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/P/GOODMAN, SCA/A/REOTT, EUR/RPM/COPE ALSO FOR NEA/ARP E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2019 TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN ECON MOPS NATO PK AF AE SUBJECT: PRESSING UAE ON AID FOR PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN REFS: A) STATE 32712, B) STATE 31102 Classified by Ambassador Richard Olson, reasons 1.4. (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The Ambassador reviewed with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash and Assistant MFA Under Secretary for Political Affairs Tariq al-Haidan (who will join the UAE delegation in Tokyo) U.S. goals for the Tokyo Pakistan Donors' Conference April ¶17. Noting $4 billion as a target, which the USG would support with a $1 billion commitment of our own, the Ambassador suggested a robust UAEG contribution of $100 million. Dr. Gargash noted the USG desire for generosity without suggesting what the UAE pledge might be. ¶2. (C) Dr. Gargash added that the UAE delegation to The Hague conference came away from the discussion with the impression that Pakistan was clearly the higher USG funding priority for the UAE to focus on. The Ambassador stressed the importance of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, leaving ref A and B non-papers with Ambassador al-Haidan. OLSON